Where the concierge points people first
- Toit de l'Arc de Triomphe — The roof of the arch, up 284 steps, with twelve avenues radiating out below and the Champs-Élysées launching the long straight axis towards the Louvre. The best view of how Paris was planned. (48.8738, 2.2950)
- Montmartre — The steps below the Sacré-Cœur face south over the whole city, free and open at any hour. Busy at sunset, calmer at breakfast. (48.8861, 2.3431)
- Esplanade du Trocadéro — The terrace across the river from the Eiffel Tower, the classic front-on view. Come early in the morning to have it without the crowd. (48.8620, 2.2887)
- Terrasse du Printemps — The rooftop terrace of the Printemps department store on Boulevard Haussmann, looking over the Opéra's roof towards the tower. Free when open; check before you go as it shuts in bad weather. (48.8739, 2.3276)
- Belvédère de la Sibylle — The little temple on a crag in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, over the lake, with a view across the north-east of the city. Park hours apply. (48.8811, 2.3831)
- Grande Arche — At La Défense, the far end of the axis. Stand on the steps and look back down the straight line to the Arc de Triomphe and, beyond it, the Louvre. (48.8926, 2.2359)
The rest of the viewpoints in Paris — every one we hold
- Belvédère (48.8685, 2.2470)
- Butte aux Canons (48.8277, 2.4358)
- Butte de Coupeaux (48.8431, 2.3559)
- Le Belvédère Trans 305 (48.8118, 2.3725)
- Les tortues (48.8505, 2.2306)
- Palais Garnier (48.8714, 2.3320)
- Pont d'léna (48.8598, 2.2920)
- Pont des Arts (48.8586, 2.3377)
- Vue sur la tour Eiffel (48.8738, 2.3852)
Some of the best views are free to the young
The Arc de Triomphe is a national monument, and like the others run by the Centre des monuments nationaux it is free for under-18s and for EU residents aged 18 to 25 with ID. Everyone else pays. The rest of this list is mostly free: Montmartre, the Trocadéro and the Buttes-Chaumont cost nothing but the legwork. For light, the Trocadéro and the Arc work best in the late afternoon, and Montmartre, facing south, catches the sunset off to the right.
Questions people ask
What are the best viewpoints in Paris?
The roof of the Arc de Triomphe for the planned avenues, the steps below the Sacré-Cœur at Montmartre for the whole city, and the Esplanade du Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower.
How many viewpoints are there in Paris?
Num's directory maps 15 viewpoints in Paris and the edges of the city.
Where can I see Paris from above for free?
The steps of Montmartre, the Belvédère de la Sibylle in the Buttes-Chaumont, and the Terrasse du Printemps when it is open.
Ask Num for a viewpoint near you in Paris at sunset
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